Jarred Kelenic wakes up each morning and heads to STiKS Academy in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The prep outfielder graduated from Waukesha West High a semester early and trains each day to prepare for the next step in his baseball career.
Committed to the University of Louisville, Kelenic is in a unique situation for a Wisconsin baseball product.
When the MLB draft begins on June 4, Kelenic could become the state’s highest-ever prospect selected. There’s buzz that the Detroit Tigers are considering him with the first overall pick. MLB.com ranked Kelenic as the 12th-best prospect in its January rankings.
All 30 major league teams have traveled to Wisconsin to meet and evaluate Kelenic in preparation for the draft. He said he’s trying his best to avoid the draft chatter and focus on his development.
“It’s truly an honor, but my expectations are a lot higher than anyone can think possible,” Kelenic said. “This is something that’s normal for me. I’ve put in the work and expected the results. I’m getting the results. One day I want to be a hall of famer.”
The state of Wisconsin has produced one top-10 pick in the MLB draft. The Toronto Blue Jays selected shortstop Augie Schmidt, a Kenosha, Wisconsin native, with the second overall pick out of the University of New Orleans in 1982, according to Baseball-Reference.com.
The highest prep player drafted with Wisconsin ties was Nekoosa High’s Kevin Brandt, who went 11th overall to Minnesota in 1979. Most recently, Gavin Lux of Indian Trails High heard his named called by the Los Angeles Dodgers with the 20th overall selection in 2016.
“The draft is just a stepping stone,” Kelenic said. “The older and older I get, I’ve started to realize that it’s just a starting point. From there, it’s getting to the big leagues and winning games. It’ll be a special day.
“At the same time with being from Wisconsin, I know not a lot of kids get this opportunity. I’m going to make sure I don’t take it for granted.”
Kelenic has never suited up for his high school baseball team, who participate in summer baseball. Instead, he’s spent the summer months playing with travel teams and competing in showcase events across the country.
The past two years, Kelenic played with the U.S. national 18-and-under team. He was the squad’s best hitter in 2016 and helped them win their second consecutive gold medal in 2017.
“Having USA across your chest is always something different and nothing I will ever forget,” Kelenic said. “It taught me how to get into a routine and play every single day. It challenged me physically and mentally. Ultimately, I think it was an extreme learning curve in my career playing with Team USA.”
The reason Kelenic is a well-regarded draft prospect is because of his five-tool potential.
His best trait is his advanced hitting ability. He displays a solid approach from the left side of the plate and makes consistent, hard contact to all field. He also has the best power-speed combination in the draft class.
Defensively, Kelenic views himself in center field long-term due to his quickness, instincts and arm strength.
“I think the biggest strength in my game right now is that I bring all five tools to the table,” he said. “If my hit tool for one game isn’t going the way I want it to, I’m going to make sure my other four are on. I’ve been working extremely hard to make all tools of the game very high and very good.”
Kelenic also has been doing hot yoga once a week to help with his flexibility and make him less prone to injuries.
Besides doing individual drills to enhance his skills, Kelenic is playing with Wisconsin’s Hitters Baseball Academy this spring. The team started playing in March and has games each weekend in Wisconsin and occasionally in Iowa.
The weather prevents baseball players in Wisconsin from playing outside year round, but Kelenic believes places like STiKS Academy and Hitters Baseball Academy allow athletes ample opportunities to develop their craft.
“I don’t understand why people think we are misjudged because we have the facilities to play every day,” he said. We can get just as much work in as a kid from California or Florida. I took it for what it was worth and knew no one was going to outwork me.”
(Video of Jarred Kelenic courtesy of 2080 Baseball)
READ: 2018 MLB Draft: Profiles on top prospects
[…] New York Mets drafted Jarred Kelenic with the sixth overall pick in last year’s MLB draft. Kelenic’s stay in the Mets’ organization […]
[…] the 20th overall pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016, and former Waukesha West outfielder Jarred Kelenic was the sixth overall pick by the New York Mets in 2018. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee […]